Chapter 191. Duty and Calling

Zein usually woke up with his biological alarm, unless he was physically drained or mentally distraught. Or both. 

Today was none, and he woke up just after dawn just as usual. Only, instead of a ceiling, he woke up staring at a pair of warm amber eyes. "This feels familiar," he commented, lips curling upward reflexively. 

"Like the time you woke up and kissed me out of nowhere?" the esper asked. 

"Ah," Zein chuckled softly, recalling the day he visited the lab for the first time and touched the shard. He dreamt of something--he couldn't remember what--but he recalled calling out for Bassena and when he opened his eyes, the esper was there. Zein didn't think twice to kiss Bassena then, thinking it was still a dream.